A Visit to Bath: Tony Grant

Jane Austen and the Georgian city of Bath are closely entwined throughout her novels and later life. Tony Grant’s contributions regarding Bath have been vitally important to me and this blog. His thoughts, images, and insights have enhanced my posts about this topic.

Tony has generously allowed me to link to his popular February post about his latest visit to Bath with his wife Marilyn on his blog, London Calling. One third of the way through his post, I linked to his site, so expect to be taken to another blog.

At the end of this post, I added links to other Jane Austen’s World posts regarding Jane in Bath with Tony’s photographic contributions. Enjoy!!

Thank you, Tony, for your continued support.

A VISIT TO BATH

Sometimes, among all the unwanted adverts, links and promotions that crop up on my i-phone, there is something of use. Recently Marilyn saw a one night deal advertised at The Royal Hotel Bath. That is not the Royal Crescent Hotel at the top of the city by the way. The Royal Crescent Hotel provides, I am sure, extreme luxury. Well, it should do. The cost of a suite for one night is £1000. The Royal Hotel is the sturdy building, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and built in 1864, next to the main railway station located next to the River Avon. The deal was excellent. The hotel is three star but it offered a very comfortable experience. For £125 we had a well appointed double room with en-suite facilities. When we arrived we had a cream tea in the foyer. The evening three course meal began with a complimentary glass of champagne. The deal also included a full English breakfast.

The Royal Hotel ,Bath. (Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1846.)

The weather was cold but clear skied while we were in Bath. We had to wrap up warmly.
We have been to Bath on a few occasions and we have seen the main sites before. This time we once again visited Bath Abbey and for the first time visited the Roman Baths complex. There was quite a queue to get into the Pump Room for afternoon tea so we decided to miss that. We have been to the Pump Room twice before. We found another coffee shop nearby in the Abbey precinct.

Bath Abbey with The Pump Room on the right.

Of course we walked past and along many of the sites in Bath that are connected with Jane Austen.When we arrived in Bath, we first of all parked in our usual car park, near the river, very close to Green Park buildings, and the house where The Reverend George Austen died on Tuesday 21st January 1805, Jane wrote to her brother Frank Austen, stationed on HMS Leopard in Portsmouth.. “An illness of only eight and forty hours carried him off yesterday morning between ten and eleven,”

After booking into The Royal Hotel we moved our car to the car park in Manvers Street next to the hotel. I discovered that Fanny Burney , the playwright and novelist, a contemporary of Jane Austen’s, lived in South Parade, next to the car park.

We later walked up Milson Street,

“They were in Milsom Street. It began to rain, not much, but enough to make shelter desirable for women, and quite enough to make it very desirable for Miss Elliot to have the advantage of being conveyed home in Lady Dalrymple’s carriage, which was seen waiting at a little distance;…” (Persuasion)

to Edgar Buildings, which features in, Northanger Abbey,” Early the next day, a note from Isabella speaking peace and tenderness in every line and entreating the immediate presence of her friend on a matter of utmost importance, hastened Catherine, in the happiest state of confidence and curiosity, to Edgar’s Buildings.”

Edgar Buildings are located in George Street.

We turned left along George Street to Gay Street and walked up the hill to The Circus, past number 25 Gay Street, a house the Austens stayed in after the Reverend Austen’s death. From, The Circus ,we walked along Bennett Street to The Upper Assembly Rooms .

We had never been inside the Assembly Rooms before. They were spectacular. Jane Austen describes a number of Balls in her novels, Emma, Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey. She also writes, in her letters to Cassandra, about the balls she and other members of her family, and friends attended…

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17 Responses

I loved this!! I visited Bath many years ago – about 30, I think – and remember many things and places mentioned. Thanks, Tony, for the great article – sounds as if you and Marilyn had a wonderful getaway. And thanks, Vic, for sharing Tony’s post and a link to his blog.

Thank you Lynn. Bath is a lovely place for all sorts of reasons. It’s got a great Rugby Club if you are into hard crunching type sports. Bath are one of the top British and European rugby clubs.
Also Bath is situated at the southern end of the beautiful Cotswolds. Oxford is in the north of the Cotswolds. I am beginning to sound like an advert for the British tourist board!!!!

I didn’t follow Inspector Morse but it could possibly have been The Royal Hotel. It’s the sort of place a police inspector would stay rather than The Royal Crscent which would be beyond his means. Thanks for your comment.

Wonderful write-up, Tony. When we were in Bath we booked our room from one of the discount-no-refund services and did get the Royal Crescent Hotel. They put us in a small room overlooking the garden. When I complained about the size of the room, they were very gracious and said, “Choose any room you like.” The hotel was mostly empty and they let us look everywhere, which proved to be a treat. The suites facing the Crescent were large with perfect period furniture, and the other rooms were equally beautiful. After the tour we wound up staying in the small room anyway because of the view of the garden. Dinner at the hotel was first rate.
Next day’s outing for lunch proved a disappointment at Sally Lunn. They claim they use the original recipe but no Huguenot baker would have used so few eggs in a brioche dough.

Thanks Patty. Staying in The Royal Crescent must have been some experience. Did they tell you how the Royal Crescent and many other streets in Bath were built? Did you notice,none of the backs are the same?

Thank you for your writing. I was in Bath in 2007 and could have happily stayed right there in front of the Abbey and Roman baths. I attended church there on Sunday morning and was up early enough to stroll the streets when there was no one around. It was heaven. I stayed at The White Hart near the train station. I was in London just this past December and didn’t want to leave. My first time to England was in 2000 to visit Jane Austen sites. Wish I could live there. Maybe one day! ❤

Thank you Laura. Politically we are a little volatile at the moment but O am sure things will be worked out. My mother and father went through a World War. Things are not that bad. Being a native I would definitely recommend US!! Ha! ha! It’s a gorgeous hot Summers day here in Wimbledon today.

Interesting post, there is certainly something magical about Bath, although it seems Austen wasn’t that keen on it. Just been reading Lucy Worsley’s new book and she has some very interesting insights into the accommodation Jane and Cassandra and her mother stayed in while in Bath.

Nicola, thank you for your comment.Lucy Worsely is actually in charge of the Royal Palaces. She promotes, Hampton Court, The Tower of London and Kensington Palace. She is a historian who has a great interest in interiors. I have not read her book,”Jane Austen at home,” and only seen glimpses of her television programme, “Behind Closed |Doors.” I have , though, read Guardian reviews about both. I must admit I find her a little grating. She is not my,” cup of tea.” I think I saw a clip where she mentions Green Park buildings. Green Park Buildings are near the river and were prone to flooding and the houses were damp. They are not damp now by the way.They are very desirable residences. Bath, when Jane Austen was there, was past its hayday and was probably looking a little jaded. When you go there you might notice all the chimney pots. They would have been emitting smoke all the year round. No wonder Jane and her friends were always going for walks in the hills around. They needed fresh air.

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Hello, my name is Vic and I live in Maryland, USA. I have adored Jane Austen almost all of my life. I am a proud lifetime member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. I do not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, I do accept and keep books, DVDs and CDs to review.

Contributors to this blog include: Tony Grant and Rachel Dodge.

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